Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-07
Schools and school Teachers.

Schools and school Teachers.
One of the civil service examiners, who
recently examined a large number of APP
plicants in Southern State Tor positions
in the service of the government, says
that not one in ten could give satisfac-
tory answers to the simplest questions
in the elementary English branches. In
! quiry developed that two-thirds OF the
applicants had been pupils of the public
schools, while the other third had re-
ceived their training in private schools.
This Ia not a good showing for the
1 schools. The MORNING NEWS is inclined
/ to believe that the fault is both wih the
/ system and the teachers. In Georgia,
outside Of the cities, it is notorious that
the public schools are wOfully inefficient.
With their three months terms and al
! most entire lack of facilities for teaching.
they are little more than scholastic
spasms. The State School Commissioner
says the trouble lies with the state, which
refuses to appropriate money enough to
make the schools efficient. The MORN
ING NEWS is not prepared to deny this,
but at the same time calls attention to
the fact that the excuse does not help the
schools. Wherever the trouble lies, the
system is virtually a failure and, of
course, the schools are inefficient.
The failure OF the private schools to &C
complish good results Is partly due to the
existence OF the public schools. The lat
ter have greatly injured the former, as
is proved by the closing Of many OF the
former that were once famous. People
have gotten into the habit OF believing
that three months in the public schools
afford all the education their children
should receive in the year, and they there
fore will not support the private schools.
But, if the public schools were open
nine, or even six, months in the year,
and the private schools were overlooking
with pupils, no great amount OF good
would be accomplished unless change
were made in the character OF teachers
employed. The MORNING NEWS does
not mean to make an indiscrimInate
attack upon the teachers of
the State. There are many
who are The peers of any in the country,
whether in point of learning or ability 10
impart what they know. But there are
also very large number who are lack
ing in learning and ability, and who are
without experience. The laws governing
the selection of teachers for the public
schools are almost useless, for in many
instances the examiners are either In-
capable or careless. The result is there
are hundreds OF laundering boys and
girls IN the public schools going
through the farce of giving
instruction to the young. An
unhappy farce it is, too, for it entails
wholesale slaughter Of the innocents.
The State School Commissioner himself
admits that many of the teachers in the
public schools are sadly deficient. In
many OF the private schools the state of
affairs is Just as bad. Teachers are en-
ployed who lack the essential qualifca-
tions for accomplishing good results. II
this be not true, why is it that there are
so many peripatetics among the teachers
in the private schools? Why is
il that the trustees OF these
schools are always saying to their
teachers, "Move onT Even trustees of
schools will hold on to a good thing when
once it is in their possession.
Unless coming generations are to be the
merest smatterers the State must take
vigorous hold Of the public schools and
make them efficient. Means for extend
ing the terms, for providing proper IA
cilities and for obtaining thoroughly
qualified teachers must be devised The
matter is too important to admit OF delay
or to warrant anything but a liberal
policy.